Transparent
by silverfire113
Summary: Lenalee Lee goes on her first solo mission to recover Innocence and finds more then she bargained for...including a strange boy named "Lev" who always seems to be hiding behind a mask. Just who is he...? Rated M for later suggestive themes.


**Chapter One**

**Lenalee Lee: Exorcist**

Lenalee stared up at the dreary ash colored sky with a frown on her face. Rain battered down on the small shelter she stood under, pouring off the edges to pool on the mucky ground. A few humans hurried by with umbrellas and more then one carriage zoomed by. The weather didn't help her mood. Wind had long ago chilled her bones, easily bypassing her soaked clothing. Her short green hair had been pulled into small ponytails now lopsided and sloppy looking.

Two days ago she had been sent out on a mission to recover Innocence. She hated Innocence; it had made her life miserable. First they had taken her away from her home because of it. Now her brother had to work at the dumpy headquarters, tiring himself out and wearing down his patience. She was grateful he was there though; it cushioned the hard lifestyle.

Her thoughts went back to her mission. A strange phenomenon had occurred in this rainy town and the higher ups thought it might be due to Innocence. Apparently, people were turning invisible after they went into this old church, then a few days later they would magically reappear. The victims would have something wrong with their heads afterwards. They were spouting nonsense about demons and punishment and other various things.

Lenalee wasn't happy about all of it. This was her twelfth mission; the hardest one yet. Before it had just been surveying other exorcists, but now she had to go on a solo assignment. It worried her. She could imagine her brother anxiously awaiting her return and not doing his work. The thought made her smile a small smile.

There was a flash of lightning. She yelped, gazing back up at the darkening sky. Where was that finder? Shouldn't he have been here by now? Another bolt of lightning ripped the sky and she shivered. Thunder rumbled. The small girl began to scan the area for signs of her guide. There was no one who fit the bill; no long white coat that signified a finder.

Lightning cracked overhead and this time she screamed. It was close. Why did she have to be out here in the cold?

"Little girl, come here where it's warm," called a scratchy voice.

She turned sharply, peering into a dark alleyway. Covered in dirty rags sat a man. Shiny black eyes gazed at her with a look she didn't like. A needy look; almost crazed. He reached out to her feebly with a hand wrinkled by malnourishment and hard times.

"N-No thank you sir. I'm fine where I am," she replied hastily, her voice shaking a bit.

"I insist. I'll keep you warm, little girl," he bribed.

He began slowly ambling towards her, an eerie smile on his face as he got ever closer. Lenalee took a step back. Her instincts screamed at her to run yet her feet were frozen in place as if she had grown roots and planted herself.

"Really…I'm fine," was her broken reply.

"Come on, I know you're cold."

He grabbed onto her wrist with his surprisingly strong grip, smile widening. With a yelp she tried to pull away.

"Let go!"

She struggled with all her might, kicking him in the shin. The man growled, releasing her to hold his injured leg. Lenalee took this chance to run. It didn't matter where as long as it was away from that person.

Running blindly through the streets wasn't the best option though it was all she could think of at the moment. There was no one to help her. This had to be done by her. People who walked along the sidewalks simply watched as the man chased after her and then went on their way. It wasn't their concern.

Even though she was running at her fastest, that horrid man was still gaining on her. Why was God so cruel? Did He really hate her this much?

She barely registered smacking into something solid. There was a yelp and a grunt as both fell to the ground. Dazed, she waited for the stars to clear before trying to find out what she had rammed into.

A boy.

He didn't look much older then her, maybe a year or two. Red hair hung messily everywhere, though particularly over his right eye which was covered by an eyepatch. She couldn't help but stare at his strange appearance. Never before had she seen red hair and it fascinated her.

"Little giiirl~…I found you," sang the man in a gravelly voice.

She began to shake. There was nowhere to run anymore. Walls surrounded her on three sides and the raggedy man blocked the only exit. A dead end. Swallowing, she turned to face him.

"L-Leave me alone!" she shouted, trying to sound tough though she knew she sounded pathetic.

"Looks like I'll have me some fun tonight," he said with that twisted smile.

There was a groan, and two pairs of eyes focused on the fallen boy Lenalee had managed to bowl over. He didn't wake up and her heart sank. Anyone would be good now. She didn't want to be alone with this person. The rain continued to pour.

The dirty man lunged, grabbing onto her once more. His fingers tightened painfully around her much smaller wrist, bruising the delicate white skin.

"If you don't move I'll go easy on you," the man hissed, playing with one of her ponytails.

"D-Don't touch me! Y-You'll r-regret it!"

He laughed, touching her cheek. She tried to pull away though wasn't successful.

"Let me go! Let go of me!" she screamed.

Tears were streaming down her face, joining the already present raindrops. She didn't like this. What would happen to her?

His free hand reached out and ripped her shirt off of her, throwing the tattered remains to the ground. She shrieked in fear and desperately tried to cover herself. The man began pulling at her skirt, and then suddenly stopped. He stared behind Lenalee. She turned to look, surprised to see the red haired boy standing there, holding the back of his head.

"Ow…" he mumbled, looking up. His single emerald eye widened in shock at the scene before him. He looked first at the girl's tear streaked face and then at the man's malicious one.

"What's going on here?" he asked simply.

"None of your beeswax kid. Skedaddle outta here before you get hurt."

"P-Please…help me," Lenalee said quietly with pleading eyes.

The boy eyed them for a moment longer, shrugged, and quietly walked past them. Lenalee watched him go with horror written on her face. No one cared. God really did hate her.

"Now, back to what we were do-"

He was cut off with his own yelp of pain, stumbling forward. His bony fingers left her wrist and she scrambled away while grabbing what was left of her shirt and holding it to her chest. The man cursed, spinning around to face the frowning boy.

"You little brat! You're gonna regret the day you ever laid eyes one me!"

He charged, hands ready to claw the boy's remaining eye out. The red head dodged nimbly to the side. With a growl the man turned back and tried again only to fail once more.

"Hold still you stupid kid!"

In a blur of movement the boy kicked out, catching the crouching man hard in the stomach with his booted foot. Now in a rage the man quickly retaliated by grabbing the redhead's arm. He took the much smaller boy's body and smashed it against the hard brick wall.

"Stop it! Stop!" Lenalee cried out when she saw the boy's pained look.

"He's gonna pay! I'll ripe you to shreds brat!" the man screeched, spit leaving his mouth.

"Stop!"

The Chinese girl jumped up, forgetting her dignity and latching onto the man's arm. She pulled, though it didn't make much of a difference. Still in a rage he pushed her away and began punched the redhead. Lenalee finally came to a decision. This had gone too far, and it needed to be stopped.

"Innocence! Activate!" she cried out over the storm.

She felt the heavy boots envelop her legs. They began to glow that green color as she ran forward, jumping into the air and bringing down her leg with all the force she could muster. She could feel her heal connect with his skull. The man stumbled forward and then collapsed on the ground in a heap. The boy slid down with him, landing on his feet and falling forward. Lenalee caught him. He looked up at her with that green eye, questioning.

"What did you do?" he asked quietly, blood running down his forehead and eye.

The left side of his face was swollen, already beginning to bruise where he had received the harsh blows.

"I'll explain later. Right now…we need to do something about your injuries," she replied quickly.

"Or get you a shirt."

She blushed, looking down at her exposed skin. The cold wind finally kicked in and she trembled a bit.

"Here…wear this for now."

He removed the green cloak he had been wearing, handing it over to her while averting his eyes.

"Thanks…"

Taking it from him she slipped it over her head. It was surprisingly warm and comfortable and she couldn't help but wish she had something similar to it in her pile of clothes.

"Do you live around here?" he asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"No…someone was supposed to pick me up but they never came…"

"So you don't know where you're going?"

"…No…"

"You could come with me to where I'm staying I guess…my master is out on business and won't be back for at least a week."

"I couldn't-"

"Hey, it's fine. I'm lonely anyway."

He gently took hold of her arm, pointedly avoiding her dark bruise and pulled her along out of the alley. She followed in silence. At least now she had somewhere to go instead of standing in the rain. It was hard to put her finger on, but for some reason she trusted this boy. Maybe it was how he smiled, or maybe it was because out of everyone else he had been the only one to help her.

"W-What's your name?" she asked quietly. "I'm Lenalee Lee."

"My name's Lev. Czech for lion," he answered with a smile.

"Are you from there?" she asked, curiosity filling her voice.

He looked up at the depressing sky with a thoughtful expression.

"No. My parents were though. We lived in France for a few years until they died. Now I'm traveling with my grandfather."

"I'm sorry to hear that…my parents are also deceased…I only have my brother…that's enough for me though."

"It doesn't really bother me much. They were always away so I didn't really see them. So…why are you traveling all by yourself without your brother? Was he the one who was going to pick you up?"

She jumped, not sure of what she could tell him and what she shouldn't.

"Uh…no…my brother…he's uh…working somewhere else. A friend of his was coming to get me. I guess he got tied up somewhere…"

If he noticed her broken sentences it didn't show.

"Hn. Why are you here in the first place?"

"I-I was getting some things for my brother. He thinks I'm old enough to do things like that and I didn't want to disappoint him…"

"Maybe he should be more careful next time," Lev laughed, scratching the bridge of his nose where one of the straps of the eyepatch laid.

"Yeah, I guess that was kind of a stupid decision."

Lev led her through the various alleys with an uncanny ease. Lenalee bit her lip.

"How long have you been here Lev?"

"About a week. My master and I travel all over the place."

"If that's so, how do you know your way around so well?"

He glanced back at her, smile still in place.

"I guess I just remember things easily. Once I've seen it, it just sticks in my head."

"Oh…"

Soon they were out of the dank alleys and had gotten back to the main streets. Rain still beat down on the roofs of buildings and on the cobblestone streets, soaking anything it touched. Lev quickly pulled her along down the dirty sidewalk.

"You really pack a kick. Why didn't you just do that before?" he asked as they headed up to a small but decent building. It had a black roof of shingles and well-kept brown walls.

"I-I…I didn't want to hurt anyone…"

He stared at her blankly.

"Do you have any idea what he was going to do to you?" he asked with a hint of disbelief in his voice.

"Uh…hurt me?"

"Trust me, it would have been a lot worse then hurting."

"How can there be anything worse then hurting or dying?"

"Just…trust me on this one…"

The entered the black roofed building. Lev smiled at a lady sitting behind a counter, and she grinned back.

"Lev, you got all wet…Oh! Who's the young lady accompanying you? A friend?" she asked with a sweet voice that made one feel warm.

"I met her when I was chasing that kitten you wanted me to catch. Sorry, it got away…" the redhead said, laughing lightly.

"That's okay. Why's she wearing your cloak?"

"Uh…there was this guy chasing her and…you know how they are around here…"

"Oh my! Are you all right dear? Come here and I'll get you something hot to drink. Do you like tea?"

Lenalee nodded, surprised at the woman's open hospitality. She was a young woman, rather skinny and tall with long brown hair pulled back in a French braid.

"Thank you," the younger said, letting herself be ushered into another room.

"By the way, my name is Sara. Nice to meet you…"

"Lenalee."

"What a pretty name! Did that nasty man touch you?"

"He just gave me a little bruise…"

Sara examined Lenalee's arm, tsking to herself and reaching up into a white cabinet.

"You know, Lev gets himself banged up all the time. It's so hard to keep my medical supplies up. Speaking of which his face looked rather bad…"

"The man hit him because he tried to help me…"

"I see. That sounds like Lev. Poor boy is so unlucky."

Lenalee couldn't help but be comforted by the woman's friendly chatter. It almost reminded her of her brother before the whole Innocence fiasco. Those thoughts only made her feel worse though.

"My gosh! You have no shirt! Lev! Go into my room and grab her something to wear."

"Yes Ms. Sara," the boy replied, quickly scurrying off.

"At least the boy's reliable. Quick too. You don't find many people as smart as him around here these days…"

Lev skidded into the white walled room, almost crashing into a large metal table. He handed Sara a purple shirt and then made a speedy exit.

"Here, put this on. It's a bit big but it will have to do for now."

Lenalee did as she was told and removed the soaked cloak Lev had given her. She shivered visibly as she slipped on the too large violet garment, her head poking through the mass of fabric. Sara laughed.

"I'll see if I can get you some clothes later."

"No, you don't have to-"

"Don't worry about it. I owe Lev and his gramps a lot and I like helping out others every once in a while. Lev! Come back in here so I can take a look at your face!"

The redhead entered, walking this time. He laughed quietly at Lenalee who was trying to find the arm holes in the shirt.

"I think she's drowning, you might want to help her first," he commented before sitting down on a soft looking chair.

Sara aided Lenalee and then turned to the sink which she turned on. Lev frowned when she took out a rag and put it under the stream of water.

"Let's see if there's a boy under all that dirt and blood. Hold still…"

The tall woman began gently cleaning Lev's face, ignoring his protests and yelps of pain. She frowned at the purple and green bruises that had already formed.

"You aren't missing any teeth are you?"

"No," he said, smiling widely just to reassure her.

"Good. I can't repair that."

Sara busied herself with neatly bandaging Lev, smiling as she worked. Lenalee watched her in fascination. After a few minutes the skinny woman sighed and stood.

"Alright, Lev, I want you to let Lenalee sleep in your room with you. There's an extra bed since your Grandfather isn't here so you should be fine. Let me know if you need anything else."

"Yes Mr. Sara," Lev replied, hopping up from his seat and motioning the Chinese girl to follow him.

Lenalee followed along behind the boy while somehow managing to not trip over her large shirt.

"Ms. Sara sure is nice," Lenalee commented.

"Yeah, she is."

He led her up a flight of steps until they reached a simple oak door. Lev opened it and entered with Lenalee close behind.

"You can sleep on that bed over there. There are extra blankets in that cupboard if you need them."

"Okay…Thank you again."

Lev smiled and then disappeared into another room.

Lenalee sat down on her bed with a sigh, not sure of what to do now that she was alone. The room wasn't very big, though it wasn't small either. Books were scattered about everywhere. Most of them had many pages and a few of them seemed to be written in different languages. She picked one up and flipped it open. None of the words made any sense so she put it back down.

A few minutes passed. Lenalee blinked, yawned and finally realized how tired she was. Before long she found her eyelids drooping.

* * *

Lev peered around the door with a frown on his face. Lenalee was sound asleep. The redhead walked to the back of the room and picked up a black phone.

_"Lev? I told you to call me hours ago,"_ scolded a voice over the phone.

"Sorry. I got tied up with something," Lev replied, glancing at the closed door.

_"What would this something be?"_

"I ran into an exorcist."

_"An exorcist? What were they doing there?"_

"I'm trying to find out. She doesn't want to tell me she's an exorcist. It probably has to do with the invisibility rumors though."

_"I would think so. Keep an eye on her; it might be interesting to see how this turns out."_

"I had every intention of doing so."

_"Lev, I want you to be careful. You could get into a large mess if you are to close. Remember, Akuma are dangerous. Keep your distance."_

"Yeah, I know. I'll be careful."

_"Good."_

The man on the other line hung up, and Lev gently put the phone down. He stared at the black machine for a few moments, and then put his hands up and clawed at his hair.

"Argh! I didn't save her because she was in trouble! I saved her because she is something to record!" he told himself, hitting his already bruised head on the table. "Can't I do anything right?"

He opened the door and then walked over to Lenalee's bedside, staring down at her.

"Lenalee Lee…ten years old. Occupation: Exorcist. Innocence: Dark Boots, equip type. Relatives are her brother Komui Lee, parents deceased. Chinese origins. Became exorcist at age six after the Black Order found she was a conformer…" Lev muttered to himself, stating the facts as if he had just read them.

He looked at her peaceful face and frowned. Just a girl. A normal girl. Then why…why had he wanted to help her so badly? Nothing like that had ever happened before…

The boy shook his head, smiling wryly. He'd have to sleep on it.

* * *

Lenalee yawned, stretched, and then sat up. Sunlight streamed in from the open window. The clouds from the previous day had dispersed and now the light could get through to cast hopeful rays on smiling faces. The young girl looked around. She was a bit disappointed to find that Lev was no where to be seen; his bed was empty and neatly made. She noticed a piece of paper on top of the thin quilt and stood. With a few graceful strides she had reached the object of her curiosity, stooping to pick it up and examine it. On it, in neat handwriting she could never hope to match, was written a simple note.

Dear Lenalee,

I had to do something. If you're hungry go downstairs and Ms. Sara will get you something. The bathroom is to the left of this room and you can take a shower or bath if you need to. I promise I'll be back later!

Signed,

Lev

The exorcist couldn't help but notice the interesting way he wrote his L's. They were slanted funny, almost like a V though you could still tell what it was.

Setting the note back down she looked at the closed door that separated the room she was in from the staircase outside. Taking a deep breath she stepped forward. She opened the door and she peeked out around it downstairs, proceeding by tiptoeing down. A rumble from her stomach ruined her quiet sneaking and she blushed in embarrassment. That's right, she hadn't eaten anything ever since the train ride the day before yesterday…

Sara was sitting where she had been sitting the first time she had seen her, only this time she had a book in hand. The brunette woman looked up as the Chinese girl finally reached the last step, smiling radiantly.

"Feeling better today? Sorry about Lev disappearing like that. He acts so strange sometimes…" the older female said as she stood and walked over to Lenalee.

"Strange? How so?" the girl asked, a feeling of dread entering her stomach. What if Lev was an Akuma? If that was so though, why hadn't he killed her while he had had the chance? No…that theory was impossible…

"He's so mysterious. I mean, he likes to keep to himself and hole up in his room all day long doing who knows what and whenever he goes out he comes back either bleeding or looking a pale as a ghost. Makes me worry about the young boy…"

"Lev doesn't look much older then me; is he?"

"Well, he told me he was twelve but he acts like he's so much older. I have to wonder what that child's past was like…"

"He sounds very smart."

"Oh, he is. Now, enough about Lev. You're hungry, right? How about we get something in you and then you can do as you please. I found a nice dress for you so you can change into it if you like."

"Thank you very much Ms. Sara."

"Oh don't you start that too. It's just Sara. I don't know why Lev adds Ms to the beginning…it's almost like he doesn't want to get to friendly with me…"

"I'm sure that's not the case…Sara."

"Probably not. He is a strange boy though…"

Sara mumbled the last part as if she were talking to herself. Before anymore questions could be asked she was pushed into yet another new room where a light blue dress was neatly folded. Her fingers touched the soft, silk like fabric and she smiled.

"Thank you…"

"No need dear, just put it on so I can see how it looks!"

Lenalee striped herself of her clothes, shivering in the coldness of the room and swiftly putting on the new dress. It was warm against her skin and Sara ohhed and ahhed at her.

"You're such a pretty girl, you know?"

"N-Not really-"

"No need to be modest. Come now so you can eat."

Breakfast was simple. Bread, butter, and something similar to porridge. Lenalee wasn't complaining. She was too hungry to care much about what it was she was eating. Soon her plate was clean and Sara laughed after the fourth serving had been finished.

"My, my! You really were hungry!" she chuckled.

"Do you want me to clean the dishes-"

"Oh no, no! You're my guest! Run along now and do whatever you please. Just be sure to be back for lunch. I'm sure Lev will be back by then, too."

"Okay. Thank you very much Sara."

"Bye dear!"

Lenalee stepped out onto the street, nervously looking either way before she began walking in the direction of the church steeple that towered above the rest of the houses. That had to be the place the rumors originated from…

Silently she stole through the streets, occasionally cutting through alleys to get closer to her destination. Get there, examine, and get back. Those were the only thoughts that ran through her mind.

There was a flash of movement nearby and she stared at the place where someone had once stood a few seconds ago. Curiosity getting the better of her she peered around the corner of the building and watched as the person sprinted down the narrow space between the two brick structures.

Red hair.

Lenalee blinked. Was it possible that that was Lev?

She followed the person at a distance, trying to get a good look at his face. This wasn't giving her much profit though and she soon tired of chasing after the Lev look-alike. That was, until, the boy entered the very church she had been headed to in the first place. Her curiosity grew and she followed.

The church doors were cracked open just enough for someone to squeeze through. The entrance had once been painted a creamy white, but now the paint was chipped and falling away to reveal the soggy wood underneath. Most windows had bits of jagged glass clinging to their frames while the rest had cracks running along the clear surface like cobwebs. An eerie silence seemed to hang from the old coal colored shingles, waiting, crying, calling. No wind blew through the dead tree branches. Even though it was sunny it felt dark and cold, like someone was watching you from the shadows, ready to pounce. Like when you know a spider is there but you can't find it.

The young girl shivered in the ominous presence, beginning to dread entering the dark building that should be filled with light and holiness. She had to though.

Taking a deep breath she stepped forward and easily slipped through the crack between the doors, exhaling before scanning the area like she had been taught. What she saw shocked her.

It looked…normal. Multicolored light filtered in through a stained glass window depicting Mary holding her newborn baby, Jesus. Lenalee didn't know much about the different religions but she could tell it was either a Catholic or Christian Church. Pews were set up in rows facing the beautiful window, painted a pure white color that was now faded. To Lenalee it was slightly breathtaking. She had never been in a Church before and it was so different then she had expected it to be.

That was when she noticed the unnatural silence. Normally when we say it is silent there are still small noises in the background. They just don't bother you to the point of being called sound. This was different.

No voices echoed in the spacious room, no mouse feet skittered across the smooth stone floor. It was like someone had stopped time for the Church, preserving it in perfect soundless emptiness. Forever quiet.

The exorcist didn't dare move for fear that if she made even the slightest noise something horrible would happen. Her skin prickled, and the feeling that someone was watching, waiting to take her by surprise hung in the back of her mind. In truth she wanted to turn tail and flee, but interest stayed her. _Curiosity killed the cat,_ she though dryly.

Wood creaked nearby and she spun around, surprised to see someone standing there in the dim shadows.

"W-Who's there?" she asked quietly, sweat trickling down the back of her neck.

The person didn't answer. She could feel their eyes trained on her, watching her every move. Watching. Waiting.

"I-I can see you! Come out!"

Still no one answered her calls and she bit her lip. There was something wrong here, something horribly out of place that she just couldn't place her finger on.

"What are you doing here?" the person, or thing, asked icily.

"I came because I saw someone enter here who I thought I knew."

"You shouldn't be here. Leave now."

"I'm afraid I can't do that-"

The words died on her tongue as the form suddenly dashed forwards almost to quickly to be seen, grabbing her wrists and pinning her to the wall behind. She yelped in shock as her head hit the cold stone and stars flashed in front of her eyes.

"Leave now before you get hurt," the person continued.

When the flashing lights finally faded her purple eyes widened in shock as they met emerald green.

"L-Lev?! What's going on?!" she asked in surprise at the familiar face.

"Don't ask questions. Just go. Now."

"But-"

"Please. Just _go_."

She paused at the strange tone of his voice, almost sad. Like he was begging her to go but at the same time he wanted her to stay.

"I can't-"

"If you stay here any longer you'll be in danger. Don't ever, _ever_ follow me again. You got that?"

"But-"

He roughly pulled her away from the wall and pushed her in front of himself, glancing over his shoulder warily. In a matter of seconds they were both outside and he harshly pushed her away with a glare.

"Don't come back if you know what's good for you."

"What about you?"

"I'm fine," he replied quietly, turning his back and heading inside.

"Wait!" she called desperately, wanting some answers though not sure what to ask.

"What?"

"Are you…are you coming back?"

The red haired boy turned to look at her and smiled, though it looked tired and broken.

"Of course. You can count on that."

Without giving her a third glance he disappeared into the shadowed arch of the doorway, leaving Lenalee standing awkwardly on the dirt path.

_He actually sounded worried about something…what's going on here? Is something larger then Innocence happening?_ She asked herself as she stared at the old structure she had just been kicked out of.

Right now she knew she couldn't go back in; not with Lev keeping an eye out for her. If she tried again most likely the redhead would just boot her out...

The exorcist sighed and turned around, deciding that it would be best if she waited till Lev was asleep or something. Then she could check out the old Church in peace without interruption. She blinked when an idea suddenly struck her and she quickly sprinted back the way she had come.

Lev watched Lenalee leave from one of the many broken windows. He sighed, backing away and then spinning to face the stained glass window far above his head. Below the window was a table and a toppled chair.

"Jushiro. You can stop now, she's gone," suggested a kind female voice from the rafters.

The redhead looked up, his eye unfocused.

"I guess I could, but…" the boy said, glancing around.

"Let the boy go, you've made him do enough for now. We protected her, and that's all that counts. Let him go."

There was a sigh as a transparent figure floated down from the ceiling, her long black hair dancing behind. She touched down on the ground next to the boy.

"We may still need him-"

"Jushiro."

"Fine."

Another see-through shape appeared, and Lev collapsed on the ground, unconscious. The man, Jushiro, scoffed and nudged him. His purple eyes were disapproving and harsh.

"I wish that didn't always happen. It's annoying," he growled, spitting on the ground.

"You're the one who's hurting him every time you possess his body. Is it really worth it?"

"Everything is worth it if we can only protect people."

"I'm not so sure anymore. You're beginning to affect his thoughts...If this goes on then-"

"I don't care. I just want to save everyone!"

"You can't do that! Even if you could…he deserves to have his own mind and not have it controlled by you!"

"I don't give a pig's butt about Bookman scum! He can rot for all I care! You saw; he was going to leave her there with that man! That disgusting-! If I hadn't intervened-"

"What are you turning into?! What did the Bookmen clan ever do to you?" she asked, her voice sounding pleading and filled with sorrow.

"Nothing! That's exactly the problem! That old geezer just watched us die!"

"So you're taking it out on his apprentice? How could you!"

"I'm changing him; making sure he doesn't become heartless like that other Bookman!" the man growled, his eyes filled with hatred.

"Jushiro, it was his choice to become a Bookman, and you can't do anything to change that!"

"That's what you think! I'll stop the Bookman clan; wipe them out!"

The woman grabbed onto the man's wrists, silent tears running down her face.

"Jushiro…please, don't…"

"Nakina, I just don't want anymore people to get hurt…"

"We're only here to protect people from the Akuma; we shouldn't interfere with the Bookmen. Just help her find the Innocence and then leave "Lev" alone!"

The purple eyed man sighed, wrapping his arms around Nakina.

"Alright…I will."

"Promise me?" she asked, her voice quivering.

"I swear that after this is all over I will leave the boy alone."

"Good."

There was a groan from the floor, and Lev blinked groggily, holding his head and mumbling. The two adult figures faded quickly into nothingness.

* * *

**I truly love this story O_o Despite its M rating (You'll see why later...it's pretty definite and I don't really see why I talked myself into writing such a thing...) I still really like it...hopefully it will get better later.**

**I'm sure you've all probably guessed who Lev is by now...though the two ghosts may be a bit harder, especially since I edited it a bit to make it less obvious.**

**I reread this story after all this time and fell in love with it again. Expect to see an update soon. I always really appreciate reviews! They make my day!  
**

-Silverfire


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